July 2012 Newsletter

Our SLANT July 2012
Business & Professional Women of Nevada County

As I write this first President’s message,
the US Supreme Court has just upheld the
Affordable Health Care Act, a
tremendous victory for women’s health
and for all Americans. I am just
overwhelmed with relief, both because I
feel this beginning phase of health care
reform is so important, and because I still
want to believe in the Supreme Court as
an important part of the checks and
balances that preserve and protect our
democracy. Yes, I am an eternal optimist.
And now I begin my work as your
president, helping an incredible group of
women, your Board and committees, continue our awesome tradition of learning about issues and projects of importance to women, having fun with one another, meeting and networking among our many and varied business and professional interests, and making sure our voices are heard on local, state and national issues about which we care.
My own career in law has come to focus on small businesses, writing contracts, helping people form and grow their enterprises, protecting folks as best I can when things go wrong, using the tools of mediation rather than those of legal warfare. Thus I expect my focus as your President will also be on taking care of
business – making sure our internal operations are handled as simply and easily as possible and that our public voices are well heard and respected. To this end I hope to have fewer meetings of the Board, more opportunities for member input, and continued excellent monthly programs that challenge us to think and act and stretch our minds and hearts.
Stay tuned as this plan unfolds, because it will only succeed if you are a part of it. Thank you for the confidence you have shown in me. Now let’s get to work together!
Rosemary “Rosy” Metrailer, President
NOTED:
“When the media covers women’s issues, men do most of the talking. Among 35 national newspapers and magazines, men had 81 percent of the quotes in stories about abortion, while women had 12 percent, according to the research group 4th Estate. In stories about birth control, 75 percent of the quotes were from men, with women getting 19 percent.” From TheDailyBeast.com

Synopsis of June Program
Submitted by Bev Lyon

June 2012 Speaker

On June 20, 2012, Gail Johnson Vaughan spoke to BPW about the evolution of thinking about foster care and adoption and her pivotal involvement, thanks to a child named “Libby.”
Gail met Libby when Gail was the “poet in the classroom” for her son’s sixth grade class. She noticed Libby because she was a new face and because she was a talented young girl. Over time Gail found out that Libby was in foster care, and Libby found out that Gail worked with Sierra Adoption Service. Libby pleaded with Gail to find her an adoptive family.
When Gail contacted the social worker in charge, she was told that Libby was “unadoptable”. This was standard practice at the time. Once a child reached a certain age, no further adoption efforts were made on their behalf. This policy could seal a youngster’s fate.
Today 4,000 kids age out of foster care in California each year. Within two years, one-half are homeless, in prison or dead.
Libby was persistent, and when Gail asked her what her fantasy adoptive family would be like, Libby replied, “A family that loves me”. Gail was hooked. If Libby was persistent, Gail was determined. She worked to get California Law changed so that children like Libby were not consigned to the dead-end that foster care can be. Gail found Libby that family.
Gail is a recent fellow of The Purpose Prize which supports encore careers, and she is now the Executive Director of Mission Focused Solutions, a foster care advocacy group that is spearheading a foster parent recruitment campaign.

If children can’t find a foster home near where they live, they lose everything: their church, their neighbors and their friends, on top of having lost their family.
Consider becoming a foster parent. More information can be found at www.URTodaysFosterParent.org. “Think Progress”
Between 1990 and 2008, pregnancy and abortion rates of women in their twenties dropped dramatically, says a new study revealed in June. Pregnancy rates fell by 18 percent, while abortion rates dropped by a third.
One of the biggest influencing factors in this decrease is the growing accessibility, use, and options for birth control. Contraceptive use is the best way to prevent abortions in the U.S. Over time, young women have gotten greater access to a larger number of pregnancy prevention methods.

The study explains two main causes in the drop: The introduction of new contraceptive methods and discontinuation of existing ones and changes in the use of existing methods: the proportion of women using any method, the methods used, and how consistently and effectively they are used.
Only 70 percent of women who started having sex between 1990 and 1994 used protection, whereas 84 percent did between 2005 and 2008. President Obama’s new policy that expands access to birth control will help ensure that more women can get contraception when they need it.
Submitted by Lynn Wenzel from the Center for American Progress Action Fund

“Building Homes and Futures for Our Community: Habitat for Humanity”
What is conjured by the phrase, “Women Build”? Nevada County Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build Program brings Nevada County women and businesses together for a common goal: to build a Habitat home for a deserving mother and daughter. As mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers ourselves, we know that not having a stable home environment in which to grow and thrive is an unacceptable situation. Nevada County women have a strong stake in making our community a better place to live for our struggling sisters and their families.
Join us for an evening of inspiration as Debbie Arakel, Executive Director of Nevada County Habitat for Humanity, describes the Women Build initiative and other community-focused Habitat programs within Nevada County and around the world.
Debbie spent 9 years as a management consultant with Accenture, the leading global business management consulting services organization. Debbie’s clients included:
 Eastman Kodak, Italy, France, United Kingdom & Rochester, NY
 Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA
 Motorola, Chicago, IL
 Akzo Nobel, Sweden & the Netherlands
 Canadian Government, Ottawa, Canada
 International Paper, Memphis, TN
After taking a sabbatical to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Ethiopia and Costa Rica, followed by working in the French Alps for the winter season, Debbie returned to California and began working as an independent consultant, allowing her to focus more time on non-profit and volunteer work. She worked with Center for Youth Citizenship and Teichert Construction. Additionally, she worked part-time as the Enrollment and Match Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada County.
For over three years, Debbie served on the Board of Directors for Sacramento Habitat for Humanity as Vice-President Steering Committee Chair for their capital campaign. Her experience with Habitat for Humanity International includes helping to build houses in Ethiopia and volunteering in Costa Rica’s National Office as their volunteer coordinator, as well as providing business consulting services.
Debbie is Nevada County Habitat for Humanity’s first Executive Director, starting in October 2007. She has been a volunteer Big Sister mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada County since February 2007. She and her husband Stephen live in Smartsville with their Labrador Retriever Alice and 11 guinea hens.
Debbie earned her Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Vanderbilt University, and holds a B.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine University.
Please join us at our July 18th meeting! Find out how Debbie Arakel’s impressive career led her through many interesting changes to become Nevada County Executive Director for Habitat For Humanity.

Huge THANK YOU’s to everyone who participated and/or donated, items or time towards the Relay for Life. We made a wonderful impression. Special thanks to Debbie Lange, Co-Captain extraordinaire who was enthusiastic the entire time, even when it was into the wee part of the 24 hours! With Debbie’s idea of Rosie the Riveter, “We Can Do It For A Cure,” we were not only very well received at the event we were also a novelty with other teams and participants taking pictures with us.

More thanks to Karin Kleinhans – for helping with set-up and decorating/enhancing in our theme. Pamela Bryars for being our masseuse, doing massage for donations. Robin Mallery for the healthy ingredients and decadently delicious peanut butter sandwiches for sale by donation.

We did awesome for a first time event garnering two awards, Rising Star and the other for the most Spirited Team!! I’m so proud and honored to be a part of this group and that you allowed Debbie and I to venture out into the Community and participate like we did.

Okay, so down to the nitty gritty, how much money did our mighty little group raise for the American Cancer Society… (drum roll…) $2,787.00!!! FANTASTIC. Thank you to everyone involved.
Dawn Narvaéz P.S. I hope I didn’t miss anyone Mission Statement & Objectives
The mission of the Business & Professional Women of Nevada County is to support and promote equity for women in all aspects of their lives.
The objectives of the Business & Professional Women of Nevada County are:
• To promote personal and professional development for working women.
• To advocate on National, State, and Local legislative issues of importance to working women.
• To support the California Commission on the Status of Women.
• To promote the education of our members and the community in matters of women’s equality as it relates to economics, employment, health, education, housing, civil rights, and other issues of equal opportunity.

A good place to see what is happening in California. The Commission on the Status of Women, a nonpartisan state agency, works in a culturally inclusive manner to promote equality and justice for all women and girls by advocating on their behalf with the Governor, the Legislature and other public policymakers, and by educating the public in the areas of economic equity including educational equity, access to health care including reproductive choice, violence against women and other key issue areas identified by the Commission as significantly affecting women and girls. http://women.ca.gov/Ways to stay connected with the BPW
 WEB www.bpwnevadacounty.org
 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/BusinessAndProfessionalWomenOfNevadaCounty/
 Foundation www.bpwfoundation.org
 International: www.bpw.international.org
Enterprising and Professional Women (a new USA-wide “country federation” that is a subsidiary of BPW-International):
www.epw-usa.org
EDITORIAL POLICY
The BPW-NC Board of Directors has adopted the following Editorial Policy for Our Slant.
OUR SLANT is a newsletter, not a magazine. Articles should be kept short for readability, since the newsletter is sent to members electronically, and most members will choose to read it on their computers.
Longer articles may be up to one page in length (600 words). However, the editorial committee reserves the right and responsibility to cut or edit any articles submitted for relevance and appropriateness of content and for space restrictions.
Articles should be relevant to BPW interests and women’s issues in general. Articles that do not meet these criteria or that solely promote one’s business will not be used.Advertise in Our Slant
• New members may have their business cards published in Our Slant one time at no cost.
• Business card advertising for members is $4.00 a month or $40.00 a year. For non-members, $6.00 a month or $60.00 a year.
• A free e-mail subscription to Our Slant is available to all members. Non-member subscriptions to the print version are $15.00 per year and include one free month of advertising. Send inquiries and requests to Carol Wong carolawong3@gmail.com
• Our Slant is published monthly.
• Deadline for the August newsletter articles to be included is July 27th. Submit articles to: Dawn Narvaéz bow@att.net
Major apologizes for the Missing Business Cards, with the transition they were not all readily available. Please accept our sincerest apologizes and we will get you back in next month!! AND WITH BETTER COPY.

Who May Join BPW-NC?
Any individual who supports the platform and
objectives of Business & Professional Women,
is eligible and encouraged to become a
member. By joining BPW of Nevada County, you
will find yourself in the company of diverse,
progressive, compassionate and effective
women, and have the opportunity to improve
your business skills in a supportive setting
designed to help you grow.
Ridiculously reasonable Membership Dues!
Come on Get Involved!
For more information, contact:
Membership Chair: Karin Kleinhans 277-3630
or President: Rosemary Matralier 265-3062
July
Wednesday 18 (3rd Wednesday of the Month)
Membership Meeting & Program:
Building Homes and Futures for Our Community: Habitat
for Humanity—see page 3 for details
August
Tuesday August 7th (1st Tuesday of the Month)
Board of Directors Meeting time 5:30 @ Kim
Wydra’s office
Wednesday Aug 15th (3rd Wednesday of the Month)
Membership Meeting & Program
To be announced
Business & Professional Women offers you:
Participation in the Legislative Process
Information on Critical Issues facing
Working Women
Leadership Experience
Debbie Lange 263-7144 or 273-1607
Debbie@nevadacityadvocate.com
Freddy Zylstra 273-9498
freddy@thewrittenword.biz
Kim Wydra 913-2591 or 478-8383
kim@deltahl.com
Personal and Professional Development
Skills
Friendship and Sisterhood
Networking Opportunities

Business & Professional
Women of Nevada County
P.O. Box 2642
Grass Valley, CA 95945-2642
Business & Professional Women of Nevada County Presents:
Debbie Arakel,
Executive Director, Nevada County Habitat for Humanity
“Building Homes and Future for our Community”
See page 3 for more details
Wednesday, July 18th
at the Holbrooke Hotel Express Room
212 West Main St., Grass Valley, CA 95945
Social/networking hour begins at 5:30 P.M. Dinner at 6 P.M. Cost is $22 full meal regular/vegetarian, salad ONLY $12 and program ONLY $5. .
DINNER RESERVATIONS FOR GUESTS MUST BE PREPAID USING PAYPAL, accessible from our website, www.bpwnevadacounty.org. (A PayPal account is not necessary to reserve your space.)
You will be asked upon registration whether you would prefer a vegetarian meal or regular.
All reservations must be received by Sunday, July 15th.
For more information contact, Kim Wydra at 913-2591 or 478-8383 or by email at kim@deltahl.com.
+NOTE: Please bring your own containers to The Holbrooke if you’d like carryout from the remaining buffet food at our meetings. ONLY IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED A FULL MEAL. The hotel will now charge 50 cents for small containers and $1.00 for large containers furnished by them. Thank you.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Business and Professional
Women of Nevada County is to support and
promote equity for women in all aspects
of their lives.

Objectives

• To promote personal and professional development for working women.
• To advocate on National, State, and Local legislative issues of importance to working women.
• To support the California Commission on the Status of Women.
• To promote the education of our members and the community in matters of women’s equality as it relates to economics, employment, health, education, housing, civil rights, and other issues of equal opportunity.